Gotham's Streets Fighters
by Holmesz
Summary: How? How did they go from a park to the caves med bay? Jason had just wanted to talked to the kid. Some blood and injury. Also on my AO3 account under the same name. Sequel to Gotham Street Boys.


**Gotham's Street Fighters**

It was almost three weeks before Jason saw Colin again. This time though it was at Wayne.

Though Jason made a point to avoid the place; both house and cave, over the last few months he had been making an effort to come by on a semi regular bases to have tea with Alfred. He had always been fond of the old man during his time at the Manor and had nothing but happy memories of the kind man, so he tried to Alfred away from his feud with Bruce as much as he could. And that meant tea and lunch when he knew Bruce would not be there.

Jason had been sitting at one of the bay windows in the library waiting for the older man to finish what he had been doing before Jason had arrived when he spotted them in the back yard. Damian and Colin were playing with the demon brat monstrous Grate Dane.

Or rather it looked like they had been. Now they were both glaring at each other while Titus sat twitch between them ball at his feet. The boys did not pay the dog any mind; too focused on their little glaring contest. Surprisingly it was Damian who broke first.

' _You are being stubborn Wilkes.'_

' _I'm fine Damian. You're just over reacting.'_

' _I have never done such a thing in my life. I have simply been trained to notice things and I am telling you; you're in need of medical care.'_

' _It's just a cough. It will go away in a few days.'_

' _You said that last week and your condition has only worsened. Now stop this foolishness and allow Pennyworth to check you.'_

Jason frowned as he looked over the small redhead but they were too far away for Jason to see much difference. Asides from maybe being a little paler then normal he seemed fine. But then again he could just be a good actor. Lord knows that how Jason started. And then there was Colin living arrangements to consider.

Jason could not help but glare at his own reflection in the window remembering what he had discovered when he went home the night he had treated Colin to chilidogs. The people Colin had been staying with were suspected to be a part of some kind of illegal activity. Nothing had been proven but Oracle had noticed the strange schedule the two had been keeping; coming and going at seemingly random times, as well as particularly large sums of money they had been receiving from an overseas account. So she had made a memo and was now waiting for further information.

She had also questioned Jason if they should ask Colin about it but Jason had decided that if Colin had been concerned he would have said something. Never-the-less Jason had been glad when Damian had shown up to patrol a week ago with his usual complaints about poor housing and safety. So Colin may not have been put back in the orphanage but at least he was not with that couple anymore.

But the family he was with now did not seem to be doing a good job looking after the boy either if Colin had fallen ill enough for Damian to not only mention it but to argue his point with his best friend. Maybe he should talk to Colin about it because he did not seem like he was going to listen to Damian.

Who knows, maybe if Jason; as another street kid, said it was bad Colin would let Alfred look him over. Or at least go to a free clinic. Jason would track down Colin later tonight then.

It was still early when Jason did find the boy; just a little past eleven, sitting on a bench at a local park. Jason had asked Oracle for the kid location from the tracker Damian had sewed into his jacket earlier that year. Having decided go in his civics rather than as the Red Hood in case someone saw them Jason approached from the most lit area in Colin's clear line of sight. He might have years of experience and training over the kid but startling him and getting punched with the full strength of Abuse was not something Jason felt like dealing with today.

Slumping onto the cement chain he threw his arms over the back rest. Colin only showed that he knew Jason was there by slightly tilting his head in Jason's direction but otherwise he was silent. That was fine with Jason; it gave him a chance to study him out of the corner of his eye. Colin's face was deathly pale, his freckles standing out sharply agents his skin and the light layer of sweat reflected slightly off the street light above them. He was hunched over, his arms wrapped around his stomach as if he was going to be sick. His body was visibly shacking and his eyes were squeezed tightly shut. But what was worse was his breath. Jason could hear the awful wet heaves from where he sat. It sounded like Colin was just not getting enough air into his body because his lungs were full of fluid.

' _Kid looks like shit.'_

Looking forward Jason decided he would have to break the silence first if he wanted the kid to talk.

"So I was at the manor today when I overheard a little something."

Colin didn't even twitch.

"Damian seems rather concern about your health kid. And I am sure you have known him long enough to realize that he only verbally does that when he thinks it's bad. I got to say looking at you now I'm having too side with the demon spawn on this one. You look like you just crawled out of a grave, and I know what that looks like."

Colin made a sound this time, a noise halfway between a laugh and a cough.

Which brought on a real coughing fit; loud wet and painful sounding coughs that shock his whole body. Jason winced a little in sympathy as he placed a hand on the kids back, trying to offer what little comfort he could. When he finally stopped a few minutes later Colin was wheezing for air, his eyes wide with fear with his hands clenched in front of his mouth.

"Alright kid move your hands and breathe through your mouth." Jason tried to gently lower Colin hands but the kid resisted. "Come on kid I'm trying to help."

"I don't need your help and I don't need to see a doctor! Just leave me alone!"

The sound was muffled but the boys tone was defensive and fierce. Jason would have snapped back at him had Colin not started coughing again; much more violently then the last one. Sighing Jason knelt down in front of the kid but that was when he noticed it. Thick dark liquid coming from between the ten-year-olds fingers accompanied by a smell that Jason knew very well.

In a mild panic Jason used one of his hands to force both of the smaller boy hands away from his mouth while the other grabbed the back of his neck and tilted his head upwards into the light of the street lamp.

Blood.

Colin's mouth and hands were covered in blood.

"Oh shit! Oracle! I need pickup to the Batcave, and tell Alfred we have a medical emergency."

"Batman is closes to your location; he will be there in under a minute. What is going on Hood?"

"Little bird had a right to be worried. Mini Red is coughing up blood and looks about ready to pass out." Colin was now on his hands and knees with his head down and blood dripping from his mouth. Jason grabbed him by the shoulders and lent him onto his chest while trying to keep the boy awake. When Batman came around the corner Jason could honestly say he had never been so happy to see him.

Not wasting a moment Jason scoped the kid into his arms, being careful to keep him elevated he ran to the car and was there before the door was even fully open. Jumping in Batman did not waste a moment as he raced through the streets back to the cave, if he had said anything Jason did not hear him, too focused on the boy in his arms.

Colin skin was ashen, his lips were faintly blue even with the blood and his breathing was forced and heavy. His eyes were unfocused; shifting from one spot to another without seeing anything and he was mumbling faintly under his breath.

"Hang on kid, we will be at the cave soon. We will have you fixed up in no time."

That got Colin to focus a little hid eyes staring straight at Jason so he could see that raw panic on the kids face. "No. No doctors! Doctors have beds that they strap you to and stick needles in you! No doctors, no needles!"

And suddenly everything made sense. Why Colin refused to go to a clinic or to Alfred at the cave.

Scarecrow.

Scarecrow'; a _'doctor'_ had strapped Colin down and pumped him full of Venom. Had put him through a lot of pain and turned him into Abuse. Colin was not being a stubborn street kid who did not want help. He was being a scared little boy who did not want to face his nightmares.

And Jason got that very well.

"It's alright Colin. We aren't going to see a doctor, it's just Alfred and you know we never call him a doctor."

That made Colin hack as he tried to laugh beyond the blood in his mouth. "Ya, he is way cooler than that."

Jason chucked.

They had just arrived at the cave just as Colin started coughing again; his body shaking, his eye unfocused and his temperature suddenly spiking. Jason quickly placed Colin on the gunney before grabbing the kid hand when he Colin tried to move.

"I'm right here Colin. I'm right here and I am not going anywhere, nothing will happen to you.

Colin made a weak noise before more blood got lodged in the kids' throat making him gag. As he tilted Colin's head to the side Jason could see; from the corner of his eye, Alfred wheeling over a tray full of equipment; including several needles. He felt his face pinch together.

"Master Bruce will need blood samples to help determine the cause of his condition Master Jason. The blood on his clothes will be contaminated."

Jason sighed before he turned back to the boy on the bed. "Just give me a minute Alfred."

He moved to grab to kids head to make sure he was looking straight at the kid; trying to get his attention as much as he could with his condition. "Listen to me Colin. Alfred needs a blood sample so he is going to have to draw it out with a needle. But listen; no Colin listen to me!" Jason hardened his tone when he saw Colin eyes begin to fog over with terror; Jason would not allow him to go to whatever dark place those nightmares were locked in.

"You are safe here, no one is going to hurt you, Scarecrow can't hurt you; I won't let him. Ok, your safe here." The fear slowly ebbed away in his eyes, not completely but at least Colin had more control of it now.

Keeping his eyes on Colin Jason gave a slight nod to Alfred but did not move otherwise. He stayed like that as Alfred drew three samples from Colin arm, kept a close watch on his expression to see if it was becoming too much. But Coin stayed in control of his nightmares. His eyes stayed locked with Jason and his panic was kept at bay. Maybe Jason could look back at this someday and feel proud of the young boy.

Finally after several minutes when Batman had his samples and Colin had passed out from sheer exhaustion Jason moved back.

Slumping into a chair next to the bed Jason let out a long breath as he ran his fingers through his hair. He had only meant to talk to the kid. How did they go from sitting on a park bench to here? What would have happened if Jason hadn't been there? Would Colin have died in that park? Would there have been an announcement of his death on the television? Would they have never been told left to think Colin was somewhere in Gotham, not realizing he was gone?

Or worse would Gordon have called them to the park not understanding how important the tiny redhead was to the little Robin? God how would Damian have handled it seeing his best friend on the ground dead knowing he had died alone.

A few minutes later the roar of several engines and the sound of tyres squealing on the floor announced the arrival of the other batboys. Damian was the first person he saw as the boy ran towards him, still removing his helmet as he went, throwing it to the ground without a glace as he stormed towards the bed. His face was pale and perfectly blank but eyes did not leave the small figure lying there.

Dick was a few feet behind him; for once perfectly silent with his face set in a grim line. Jason saw Tim move towards Bruce where the older man was studying the blood samples. When Damian came to the end of the bed; his eyes moving over the pale form of his friend, Dick gestured Jason over. Wanting to give the young Robin some privacy even though a small part of him felt as though he was betraying Colin by moving from his side Jason followed Dick to the other side of the med bay where they could talk.

"Barbs called us as soon as she could. What happened Jason?"

So Jason told him; told Dick about overhearing the boys' conversation earlier that morning. About finding Colin at the park pale and shacking; trying to talk sense into him about getting treatment only for him to start coughing up blood. Then how Colin had panicked at the thought of see a doctor. Jason told him everything and watched numbly as Dick face lost its color with every word.

There was silence between them for a few moments before Jason sighed and looked back towards the two young boys. The brat was looking over the medical equipment that was scattered around his friend though Jason suspected it was more for the need to do something useful rather than doubt in Alfred medical skills.

After several minutes of silence they were joined by Tim. He stood beside Dick but spoke loud enough that it was obverse he intended for Damian to hear him. "Bruce does not know for sure what it is yet but he has ruled out common illnesses. From what we can gather from the blood samples the remaining traces of Venom in Colin system seems to be deteriorating and destroying the blood cells. He is going to call Doctor Thompkins to have a look at him but we are fairly certain the Venom is causing this."

Jason swore under his breath and saw Damian back stiffen as he turn his attention to Tim. "So do we just flush his blood or something?"

Tim shock his head. "It's not that simple. Given how long ago Colin was injected and the fact that he used the Venom to transform into Abuse we can assume that the Venom is everywhere; his blood, muscles, bones; everywhere."

"Which means there is a high chance its doing damage to every part of his body."

Tim nodded.

Jason swore again as he clenched his hands into fist feeling suddenly restless. He wanted to be back on the streets hunting Scarecrow and making the madman suffer for what he did to the young boy. Wanted to make him scream and beg and cry out for mercy; mercy that the Red Hood would not give that monster.

But he couldn't. No, he promised Colin he would be here when the boy woke up. Jason silenced the voice in his head that reminded him that the young redhead may never wake up. Jason would not believe that.

Colin was a tough kid. A kid from Gotham's own streets and he was going to wake up.


End file.
